The AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) and Matahari Global Solutions (Matahari) have announced the founding members of the 2021 Advisory Committee for the race and global health initiative. The three members of the advisory committee are Kenya’s Dr. Stellah Bosire, Colleen Daniels and Prof. Luiz Carlos S. Faria Jr.
Dr. Stellah Bosire holds a Bachelors in Medicine and Surgery, a Master in Global Health Policy and an MBA in Healthcare Management. She is the Co-Executive Director of UHAI, an East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative and Africa’s first indigenous activist fund for and by sexual and gender minorities as well sex workers. UHAI supports civil society organizing across seven Eastern African countries and Pan-African organizing to address poverty and violence.
Dr. Stellah has extensive international and domestic experience with foreign government agencies and private donors. Her expertise is in monitoring and appraising public/global health programs, effectiveness and strategic development. Her leadership positions include Board member of Funders concerned about HIV/AIDS, former CEO of Kenya Medical Association, former Board Chair of the National Gay Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and former Vice-Chair of the HIV/AIDS Tribunal of Kenya. She is currently pursuing a Law Degree.
Colleen Daniels has 23 years’ experience as a Director, Project Manager, and Technical Advisor in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, gender and human rights. She initiated the global strategy on TB and human rights and worked with TB and HIV civil society to increase their capacity to engage with the Global Fund, UN agencies, donors and governments. She also worked to catalyze global leadership to accelerate momentum toward universal access for high-quality HIV and TB services. She is currently a member of the Technical Review Panel for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
Prof. Luiz Carlos S. Faria Jr. is a Brazilian lawyer and Professor of International Public Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio). He received his LL.M in Law and Innovation from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora in Brazil and is a PhD Candidate in State Theory and Constitutional Law at the PUC-Rio. Luiz Carlos has 10 years’ experience as Project Assistant and Researcher in the field of Human Rights and Business, collaborating in studies about global health, transnational corporations and international organizations. He is a researcher and anti-racism activist with expertise in environmental racism, critical race theory, Decolonial Thought, Global Governance and International Human Rights Law.
The three members of the Advisory Committee were selected from among participants of the initiative’s first Inception Roundtable in February 2021. The Inception Roundtable determined the parameters for the first qualitative research project by the initiative, scheduled for July and August this year. The research will include the perspective of white leadership at leading multilateral organizations based in the Global North. A formal research report will be published before the end of the year.
Members of the Advisory Committee will provide accountability and strategic oversight to the first year of the initiative, and contribute to fiscal and operational planning for its future.